Low Country Cuisine

By John Starzyk

Welcome to the College of Charleston’s Comm. 230 Summer Blog y’all! My name is John Starzyk and I’m a Communications Major sophomore at the college. Over the next few weeks, I’d like to tell you about Lowcountry Cuisine; the culture and where to get some great Lowcountry dishes for yourself! For starters, the Lowcountry refers to a coastal stretch of land that begins near the Savannah River in northern Georgia and pushes up the South Carolina coast to Pawley’s Island, (roughly eighty miles.) The history of this area is rich in Caribbean, African and Creole culture …especially the food! Our coastal estuaries here play a major part in the cooking since they are so abundant with shrimp, oysters, fish and crabs. In addition, our marshlands are ideal for cultivating rice. With colorful names like Frogmore Stew, Hoppin’ John, She-Crab Soup and Huguenot Torte, it is easy to see why people from all around the world come to get a taste of the Lowcountry. This region is also home to some very successful and well known chefs. Paula Dean, a Georgia native and television chef on the Food Network has been cooking up southern delicacies’ for nearly 30 years; her recipes are greatly attributed to the Lowcountry way of life as well. Please check back often to the College of Charleston’s Comm. 230 Summer Blog as I will take you on a culinary adventure of all the great Lowcounty food that Charleston has to offer!